1. Field
This invention relates to positioning systems for agricultural implements and more particularly to conditioning or producing control signals for controlling a positioning system for an agricultural implement and/or producing position signals representing positioning of the agricultural implement.
2. Description of Related Art
An agricultural implement such as a harvesting header on a combine or a spray boom on a power unit may be driven across a field. During use, it may be desirable to control a position of the implement relative to a propulsion unit and thereby control a position of the implement relative to the ground or to crops on the field. Accurate control of the position of the implement may result in higher crop yields for harvesting and improved efficiency in spraying, for example.
Some agricultural control systems may sense a height or separation distance of the implement above the ground and produce control signals for causing a positioning system to move the implement relative to the propulsion unit, based on the sensed height. However, when a positioning system receives a control signal and is directed to move the implement, there may be a response time before the positioning system is able to cause the implement to reach a fixed or generally non-transient position. Some agricultural control systems may not take into account the response time when producing the control signals for controlling the implement position.
Further, agricultural control systems may sense the position of the implement periodically. Some control systems do not sense positioning frequently enough such that the control signals they produce can maintain accurate control of the implement. Accordingly, some agricultural control systems are constantly causing the agricultural implement to overshoot a desired setpoint position which may result in constant “hunting”.
Further, some sensing systems may not be configured to sense changes in the ground at an intermediate position on the agricultural implement.